Electric stove or furnace



W. S. HADAWAY,1R. ELECTRIC STOVE 0R FURNACE.

i APPLICATION msn MAP.- 4. 191s. 1,406,851.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

7 j@ if M/ f Y l..

Patented Feb. 14., 1922.

W. s. HADAWAY, JR.

ELECTRIC STOVE 0R FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAH 4| 1916.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEE pag.4.

PATENT oFFlcE.

WILLIAM S. HADAWAY, R., 0F NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC STOVE OR FURNAC'E.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

Application filed March 4, 1916. Serial-No. 82,068.

To all whom/@ft may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. HADAWAY,

J r., a citizen of the United States of Amer.

ing water and the like, and to furnaces for melting precious metals, such as gold or platinum.

One object of my invention is to provide a heating device in which the temperature of -the heat is built up by successive steps from a low level to a higher level.l

Another object is to provide a heating device in which steam or some other suitable vapor' is utilized as a heat vehicle.

Another object is to provide a stove in which the heat is built up bysuccessive steps from a lower level established by the initial temperature of the heat vehicle to a relatively high level which may be regulated to accommodate the work for which the stove is intended and which is ultimately determined by the -dissociation of vapor which constitutes the heat vehicle.

Another object is to provide a plurality of heating elements, a kinetic means for preventing loss of heat therefrom that shall constitute a suitable heat vehicle for transferring the useful heat to the working inember, and shall furthermore constitute means for establishing a minimum heat level from which the heating elements may boost the temperature in successive steps to. the working level desired.

Still another object of my invention is toy provide a stove or furnace that shall be adapted to receive low pressure steam from any suitable generator and shall comprise a series of electric heaters whichY- are protected against loss of heat by the steam and which serves to increase the temperature of the steam by successive stages, and -a high temperature dissociator ,heater which shall deliver useful heat at a very high temperature not only by radiation, convection and conduction, but also by chemical combination.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth hereinafter, and in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood I will now proceed to describe the same in the following specification and then point out the novel features thereof in appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional elevation of a stove or furnace arranged and constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are sectional plan views taken respectively on the line 2-2, 3 3 and 4 4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation corresponding to Figure l and showing the upper portion of the stove with the Crucible removed and a condensation hood introduced so that it is adapted for cooking and other operations which do not require the high temperatures produced in the crucible.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic View showing the electric circuit connections for the apparatus shown in the previous figures.

The embodiment of my invention which is illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, comprises a receptacle or box 10 having an outer member 11, and an inner member 12, a plurality of vapor heaters 13 and 14 and a pot 15 having a dissociator heater 1 6 therein. The inner member of the receptacle fits into the outer member and has an annular notch 17 to receive a flange 18 of the pot 15, the Crucible suspended within the mouth of the inner member of the receptacle. The pot is provided with a ledge 19 which is adapted to support a melting pot or inner Crucible 20. T he melting Crucible has a plurality of downwardly extending lugs or projections 21 and a lid 22. The complete device is provided with a cover 23 having a downwardly extending projection 24 which lits into the opening of the poti15.

The inner and outer members of the receptacle 10 are similar to each other and each of them comprises an outer shell 25, an inner shell 26, and interposed heat insulation designated 27. A vapor inlet pipe 28 extends through the bottom of the receptacle 10 and is adapted to supply vapor such as steam to the interior thereof.

The vapor heaters 13 and 14,are mounted within the receptacle upon ledges 29-30 and constitute partitions so that they divide the interior of the receptacle into a plurality'of chambers or compartments 31-32-33. The vapor from the pipe 28 is supplied to the compartment 31 and as hereinafter explained, passes through the v apoil heaters 13 and 14 in succession before 1t reaches the compartment 33.

The vapor heaters are similar to' each other and only one will be described in detail. For example, the heater 13 comprises a body of porous materialsuch as porous lire-clay, in which are imbedded electric heaters elements 34. These elements may have the form of grids as shown in Figure 4, with their terminals extendingthrough insulating plugs 35 in the inner casing 26 of the member` 12 into a 'terminal pocket 36. The terminal pockets of the heaters 13 and 14 are connected by a conduit 37 and the upper one is connected by conduit 38 to a terminal block 39 of the device.

The vapor heaters may correspond to those set forth and described in my copending application Serial No. 82070, tiled of even date herewith, their structures beingsuch as to permit the steam to flow through them Y slowly, the heat generated in the electrical elements being given up to the steam as it passes through the body.

It is evident that the pot with the melting crucible may be removed and the device utilized asy a stove or cooker by suspending cooking Vessels within the chamber 33, condensation being allowed to escape through the outlet pipe 40 as hereinafter explained.

The dissociation heater 16 with which the pot 15 is provided, extends transversely through it at a short distance above the bottom. 1t consists of a tube preferably in the form of a fulgurite and made of oxides of magnesia or somesimilar substance which may be operated at a glowing temperature and which is a conductor of electricity when hot. Electric energy is supplied to this tube, suitable connections being made to the terminals 41 and 42. The tube is perforated to permit the hot vapor and gases to escape within the pot and to transfer heat to the melting Crucible.

1n operation, when the pot is in place the fulgurite tube is connected in circuit. as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, but as it is a non-conductor at ordinary temperatures, .there is no energy supplied to it. W'hen the heaters 13 and 14 are active the vapor is delivered to the chamber 33 at a high temperature. This vapor escapes into the pot through the perforations of the tube 16 and at the same time heats the tube suiiiciently to permit the flow of electricity through the tube. The electricity traversing the tube soon heats it to a glowing temperature especially as an atmosphere of high temperature steam surrounds it and prevents the loss of heat.

Heat is then radiated from the tube to the melting crucible and is furthermore conducted to the Crucible -by the projections 21.

Heat is also 'transferred by convection, the hot gases and vapors dowing from the tube to the Crucible. Furthermore, the temperature of the glowing tube is sufficiently high to dissociate the vapor, breaking it up into its constituent elements, viz., hydrogen and oxygen. This dissociation takes up heat and serves as an automatic means for preventing an indefinite increase in the temperature of the tube. The gases produced by dissociation, are united by combustion as they rise in the pot and come against the melting Crucible, on account of the reduction in temperature thus effected. In uniting by combustion they give off heat at high temperature and while it is difficult to attribute any specific proportion of the heat. transferred to the melting pot to any one of the four methods of heat transfer above outlined, it is certain that these methods are combined and cooperate in producing very intense heat within the crucible.

The melting crucible will ordinarily be formed of some heat-resisting material and may be suitably referred to as an inner crucible.

When it is desired to use the apparatus for .cooking and other operations which do not require the intense heat produced within the pot, the pot may be removed, as a whole, or omitted, and a cooking` vessel such as 43 (Figure 5), may be suspended within the mouth ofthe chamber 33, above the vapor heater 14. The heat will be transferred to the cooking vessel very rapidly, but there will always be a certain amount of condensation when the vapor comes in contact with the surfaces of the vessel 43. In order to prevent the condensation water from dropping onto the vapor heater 14, l prefer to utilize a condensation hood or dc flector 44 composed of a plurality of overhanging rings which are spaced a short distance apart so as to permit the vapor to pass upwardly through it without difficulty while it effectively constitutes a shed for detlecting the condensation water into a trough 45. Thisis formed by a ring 46 and is adapted to discharge the water accumulated therein through the outlet pipe 40.

Vhile in the structure of Figure 1, I have shown two vapor heaters and a dissociator heater, my invention is not restricted to any specific number or arrangement of units and the number of vapor heaters may be increased indeinitely, depending upon the temperature desired, or only a single one may be employed instead of two. F or example, several heaters constructed in accordance with my present invention may be embodied in a range such as shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 82,069 filed of even date herewith. ln this case one of them may be provided with a single vapor heater to adapt it for low .temperature cooking,` while another may have two and r-another three or more, for ex alreadyiexplained, and when use with the cruci e the'le arranged and adapted to provide a@ vapor temperature sufficient to heat ,the (tlissociator,Y heater or glower to a current-conducting temperature. p

When the glower-is thus heated and the electric current begins to flow directly through it, its temperature will immediately rise to a very high value and -it will there--' after be immaterial whether the vaporsup-A plied to it is maintained at the relatively igh temperature previously acquired, or not. ,Itis therefore advantageous to provlde means for interrupting the sup ly of energy to some or all ofthe vapor the glower is active. The circuit connections are clearlyfset forth in Figure 6 to which reference may now be had. 1

designates a` source of electric energy; 51 a line switch, and 52l an automatic circuit breaker having stationary contacts 53 and a movable contact'54. v

Assuming that the circuit breaker is closed, as shown, and that the line switch 51 is closed to admit energy to the vapor heaters, circuit is established from the source`50, through switch 51, conductor 55, vapor heater 14, conduetor56, vapor heater 13, conductor 57, circuit breaker 52 and conduc-l tor'58 tothe opposite side of the line. branch circuit is established from an intermediate point 59 in the vapor heater 14 through conductor 60, glower 16, conductor l. 61, release coil 62 of the circuit breaker 52 and conductor 58, circuit being completed as before. No current traverses this `branchl until the glowerhas been heated to a' predeter- -mined temperature which renders it a conductor. It then begins to take energy from thev line andthe coil 62 is energized. When this` .'coil is energized it trips a latch 63 permitting the circuit breaker 52 to be, thrown open by a .spring 64. Thus the branch circuit including the vapor-heaters 14 and 13,'is interrupted but the glower branch is undisturbed so-that energy is supplied to one section of the vapor heater 14 which acts as a lballast to steady the current `traversing the glower. Y l

The energized section of the vapor heater is active in boosting the temperature of the steam before it is delivered to the glower, but

obviously the steam is supplied to the glower at a lower temperature than'at first. The glower,.however, is capable of lraising the temperature of the steam to the point of dissociation and-the steam reacts beneficially in preventing the glower temperature from exceeding a safe value.

v When a plurality of vapor heaters are eme eaters afterv While the receptacles 11--12 in the vapor heaters are shown as having a square section, they may of course, be cylindrical and -various other modifications may be effected within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I therefore intend that only such limitations 4be imposed as claims.

What l claim is: Y

1. A heating apparatus comprising a receptacle having a working chamber adapted to receive a body to be heated, vaporheaters in the receptacle providing a plurality of successive chambers of which the working chamber is lthe last, and means for introducing vapor into the iirst chamber of the succession, whereby the vapor is heated in successive stages by the vaporvheaters and is delivered to the working chamber at high temperatures.

2. Al heating apparatus comprising a receptacle,means for admitting vapor into the bottom of the receptacle, a plurality of vapor heaters -spaced apart within the receptacle and dividing the space into a plurality of chambers, anda condensation-outlet in the chamber farthest from the inlet.

3. A heating apparatus comprising a receptacle having heat insulated walls, a plurality of spaced vapor heaters constituting I. transverse partitions and subdividing the interior receptacle into a plurality of chambers of which one is a working space and is m'lmitthevapor toiow slowly from one chamber to another and to impart heat to the vapor as it passes therethrough, so that it is finally delivered at high temperatures to the working chamber.

- 4. A.heating apparatus comprising a receptacle having heatinsulated walls, a plurality of spaced vapor heaters constituting transverse partitions and subdividing the interior receptacleinto a plurality of charn-l `bers, each of said vapor heaters comprising a porous body'through which the vapor may flow slowly, and electric heaters for impartliong heattothe vapor as it passes through the 5. `A heating apparatus comprising a receptacle having a plurality of porous partitions each having relatively large heat capacity, electric heatingelements disposed in said partitions, and a glower in the upper chamber of the receptacle adapted to be initially energized by the heated vapor from the chamber below.

l 6. A heating apparatus comprising a reare indicated in the appended supplying electric energy to the glower, said glower being initiallyenergized by the vapor.

8. A heating apparatus comprising a receptacle, means for supplying hot vapor to the receptacle, a pot suspended in the mouth of the receptacle, a transverse tubular glower near the bottom vof the pot, and means for supplying electric energy to the glower, whereby the glower is initially heated by the vapor and then serves to increase the temperature of the vapor.

9. A heating apparatus comprising a glower non-conducting at ordinary temperatures, a source of electric energy connected thereto, and means for admitting a heating medium to the glower whereby the temperature of the glower is raised, the glower is rendered a conductor and is heated to a high temperature by the electric energy in the heating medium.

10. A heating apparatus comprising a glower non-conducting at ordinary temperatures, a source of electric energy connected thereto, and means for admitting hot vapor to the glower whereby the temperature of the glower is raised, the' glower is rendered a conductor and is heated to a high temperature by the electric energy in a high temperature atmosphere of vapor, the temperature or the glower being limited by the dissociation of the vapor into its constituent elements.

11. The combination with a glower having a negative temperature coefficient of conductivity of an atmosphere of hot vapor for initiating the activity of the glower, the temperature of the glower being limited by the dissociation of the vapor into its constituent elements.

12. A heating'apparatus comprising a container, means pervious to vapor yfor dividing the container into a plurality of chambers, means for passing vapor through the chambers in succession, and means associated with the pervious means for imparting heat to the vapor, whereby the temperature of the vapor in the successive chambers is varied in stages.

13. A heating apparatus comprising a container, means therein pervious to vapor for dividing the container` into a' plurality of chambers, means for passing vapor through the chambers in succession, and electric heaters associated with the pervious means for imparting heat to the vapor, whereby the temperature of the ,vapor 1n the successive chambers 1s increased 1n st es.

14. A heater comprising a `p urality of tively high temperatures. v

15. A heater comprising a plurality of heating elements one of which is adapted to give up heat to the work," and kinetic means for transferring the useful heat to the heating elements in successive steps whereby the working element is maintained at a high temperature.

16. A heater comprising a plurality of electric heating elements, and kinetic means for preventing loss of heat from the heating elements and for transferring the useful heat from each of the electric heating elements to the next in successive steps.

17. A heater comprising an emitter of material which is a non-conductor of electricity when cold, means for supplying hot vapor thereto, and means for automatlcally supplying electric energy thereto when hot.

18. A heater comprising an emitter of material which is a non-conductor of electricity when cold, a vapor passage connected thereto embodying a series of chambers, means for supplying heat to the vapor to increase its temperature in the successive chambers, and means for supplying electric current to the emitter when it is heated to a predetermined temperature.

19. A heater comprisinr an emitter of material which is a non-conductorof electricity when cold, a vapor passage connectedthereto embodying a series of chambers, means for supplying heat to the.vapor to increase its temperature in the successive chambers, an electric control circuit including the emitter, and an electric circuit for supplying energy to the emitter in response to the energization of the control circuit.

20. A heater comprising a series of heating members and a working chamber, means for passing a heat transmitting medium through said members sequentially and into said working chamber, whereby said medium cumulatively absorbs .heat from each of said members and relinquishes its heat to said working chamber.

21. A heater comprising a series of heating members, each composed of a mass pervious to vapor, electric means for generating heat in each mass, and a vapor for transerring heat from one of the pervious masses to the next and so on,- whereby the temperature of the vapor is cumulative.

22. A heater comprising an emitter of material which is a non-conductor of electricity when cold, means for supplying hot vapor thereto, and means for supplying electrical as to permit a fluid medium to transfer heat from each heater to the next in the series,

whereby the fluid medium is cumulatively heated and maintains the working element at a high temperature.

24. A heater comprising a series of spaced electric heater elements, one of said elements at one end of the series being adapted to impart its heat to the Work and a receptacle containing the heaters so arranged as to permit a vapor heating medium to cumulate heat from the successive elements and transfer the heat so accumulated at high temperatures to the working element.

25. A heating apparatus comprising a receptacle, a porous vapor heater dividing the receptacle into a plurality of chambers, means for introducing a Vapor directly into one of the chambers and through' the vapor heater into the other, and a glower in one of said chambers adapted to be energized initially by the heated vapor. l

26. A. heating apparatus comprising a receptacle, a plurality of porous vapor heaters dividing the receptacle into a plurality of chambers, means for introducing a vapor directly into one of the chambers and through the vapor heaters into the others, and a lower in the final one of said chambers a apted to be energized initially by the heated vapor.

27. In a heating apparatus, a vapor heater comprising a resistance, means for connecting said resistance with a supply Iof electrical energy, a glower tube of -material which is-'a non-conductor of electricity at ordinary temperatures,lbut a conductor at higher temperatures, means for passing a vapor through said heater and then through the glower tube whereby thesvapor heated by said resistance will raise the temperature of the glower tube to a degree at which it will conduct an electric current, means for supplying electrical energy to the tube, and means controlled by the current through the tube for controlling the current through the resistance.

28. In a heating apparatus, a vapor heater comprising a resistance, means for connecting said resistance with a supply of electrical energy, a glower tube of material which is a non-conductor of electricity at ordinary temperatures but a conductor at higher temperatures, means for passing a vapor through said heater and then through the glower tube whereby the vapor Vheated by said resistance will raise the-temperature of the glower tube to a degree at which it will conduct an electric current, said tube being connected in series with a part of the resistance, and in multiple with another part thereof, and means actuated by the current passing through the glower vtube for automatically breaking the circuit through that part of the resistance which is in multiple with the tube, when said tube current reaches a predetermined strength.

29. The combination with a plurality o separate heat generators and means for passing a heat transferring medium through said generators successively whereby the temperature of the medium is increased in stages; of a working chamber and means for discharging the heated medium into said Working chamber.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set` my hand this '29 day of February, 1916.

wiLLiAM s. HAD-AWAY, J'R. 

